[SOLVED] How can I change an extended partition with 3 logical partitions to 3 primary

bubuntu · 05-22-2010, 08:16 AM

Much thanks to each of you for the helpful posts. I have learned some good stuff here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by catkin

Regards your options for partition changes to install another Linux: Can sda1,2 and 5 be deleted?

I'm planing to delete them as recommended by syg00. I'm thinking now of putting the home directory on one of them.
If I delete the extended partition sda2 won't that delete the logical partitions sda5, 6 and 7? Sda6 has the system install on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by catkin

Can sda6 be shrunk?

Actually I plan to increase it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by catkin

Do you have a backup of all valued files?

I will before I attempt any changes.

Will also backup the system. I read an article which said I can do this in Linux by just copying the full file system. Then if you need to restore you just copy the file system back and restore GRUB. Is this true?

catkin · 05-22-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubuntu

If I delete the extended partition sda2 won't that delete the logical partitions sda5, 6 and 7?

Oops!

Yes it would.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubuntu

Will also backup the system. I read an article which said I can do this in Linux by just copying the full file system. Then if you need to restore you just copy the file system back and restore GRUB. Is this true?

Yes -- you can boot a standalone OS such as Knoppix or maybe the ubuntu installation CD and use that to

Partition the disk.
Format the new partitions with file systems.
Restore files to file systems from backups.
Re-install GRUB.

If the backup is a partition image, rather than a files backup, then restoring the partition image combines steps 2 and 3 above. The disadvantage of backing up by partition image is that you lose flexibility, for example the restored file system will be the same size as the original and you cannot change file system type or, say, create separate /var and /home when restoring from a partition image in which /var and /home were part of /

EDIT: Any backup should be tested before being relied on. It is prudent to have more than one copy in case of media failure or damage. "Once bitten, twice shy"!

bubuntu · 05-22-2010, 02:13 PM

OK. I'm going to go try some of these suggestions. I'll report back when I have some results (Good I hope).

bubuntu · 06-03-2010, 07:37 AM

If anyone's still interested here is my report.

I made 5 copies of the file system:

1) I used a program called "clonezilla" which produced a compressed image of the system partition.

2) I used the code shown below which I got from Ubuntu Forums to make a tar file on another partition containing the system files.

Code:

sudo su
cd /
tar cvpzf /media/d0587253-b760-4fe7-8b33-2c19ddc35336/backup.tgz --exclude=/media --exclude=/proc --exclude=/lost+found --exclude=/backup.tgz --exclude=/mnt --exclude=/sys /

This made the archive file but finished with:

Code:

tar: Exiting with failure status due to previous errors

I will take this error up with the person who posted the code I used.

3)I ran dolphin file manager as root and just tried to copy the file structure in / with exclusions as above but it finally just hung up at 63% completed.
Attachment 3697

4)Tried the following:

Code:

sudo su
cd /
find . -depth -print0 | cpio --null --sparse -pvd rootcopy

which I adapted from an article moving /home to it's own partition. Got this result:

Code:

rootcopy/./sys/devices/virtual/block/ram0/dev
cpio: ./sys/devices/virtual/block/ram0/subsystem: Cannot readlink: Invalid argument
Segmentation fault

Then I remembered some directories including /sys had been excluded in 2). I haven't tried this approach for each directory to be copied.

5) I found anArchlinux forum post discussing what I'm trying to do and they used Midnight Commander. I ran as root and copied everything but /proc /sys.

I didn't verify any of these mostly because I got lazy and didn't feel like fooling with it anymore. It was getting to be as much work as reinstalling the system would be. Also I'm not sure how to verify without running the risk of breaking the working installation which is what I'm trying to avoid in the first place.

Once I had my backups I deleted the /dev/sda1 partition which was marked as "boot". I rebooted and every thing was just fine. Before I move /home to a seperate partition I'm going to upgrade to Ubuntu 10.04.

Thanks again to all for your help.